Sludge Metal Band and Fingerstyle Guitarist Unite for Vulnerable New LP

Last summer, the sludge metal band Chat Pile and fingerstyle guitarist Hayden Pedigo came together in an unexpected and seamless collaboration, resulting in their new album "In the Earth Again." Despite their seemingly opposed musical styles, the duo has found common ground in their shared compassion and desire to tackle social issues through their art.

The album features Chat Pile's snarling songs, which could easily be mistaken for sadistic, but their most anthemic track is a raw entreaty to end the housing crisis. Frontman Raygun Busch's voice is stretched and cracked as he screams, "Why do people have to live outside?" Meanwhile, Pedigo, known for his trickster persona, has transitioned his Instagram grid to open-hearted mini-essays about stage fright, grief, and why he writes essays on Instagram, showcasing a deep empathy that has always underpinned his work.

Together, Chat Pile and Pedigo have created a seamless, interpenetrated fusion that pushes both artists to vulnerable new territory. Rather than a split or a Chat Pile-featuring-Pedigo record, this album is the product of a true collaborative effort, two seemingly opposed forces combined into a single, compelling entity.